6 
THE AUSTRALIAN BEEKEEPERS’ JOURNAL. 
South Australian correspondents that excel- 
lent mills are turned out from seventy shil- 
lings and upwards. They are described as 
follows : The rollers are made of a special 
metal, a kind of hard pewter on steel shafts. 
These rollers are cut by a special machine 
driven by steam power, and produces highly 
finished work. The cell impressions can be 
cut in different forms. The frames of these 
mills are made of iron, and there is an im- 
proved device by which, directly one sheet 
is through, the bottom roller falls back from 
upper, so as to permit the end of the wax 
sheet to be started through without sticking, 
and returns to its proper position as soon as 
the handle is turned forward. All these mills 
have two pair of cut brass wheels, and proper 
adjusting screws for regulating the thickness 
of foundation. We tried some of the thin 
flat bottom foundation for sections rather 
late last season, many of which were 
thoroughly filled and sealed, the comb was the 
lightest and thinnest we ever had in comb 
honey. 
flromiunjjs of iBiTkeEpers' 
JUaoriaitons. 
Victorian Beekeepers’ Association. — The 
monthly meeting of this Association was 
held in the Public Service Association rooms, 
Melbourne Athenteum, on June 25, at 8 p.m. 
Present, 1C members. The President, Mr. 
Ellery, in the chair. Minutes of previous 
meeting confirmed. Three new members 
were elected — Mr. J. F. Higgins, of Malvern ; 
Mr. W. Barnes, Francis-street ; Mr. Wm. 
Andrews, Collingwood ; also one country 
member, Mr. Eli Jacobs, of Kyneton. It 
was decided that a stand should be erected 
at the site granted to the Association by the 
Exhibition Commissioners for the purpose of 
exhibiting live bees in observatory hives, 
Mr. Chambers to undertake the work under 
the direction of the President. There were 
placed upon the table 6 or 7 samples of 
spurious honey, manufactured and bottled 
by various firms and individuals in Mel- 
bourne, which proved to be fraudulent imita- 
tions, containing little or no pure honey. 
It was shown that the sale of this class of 
imitation is largely carried on in Melbourne 
and suburbs. There was present by request 
Mr. Field, analytical chemist, of St. Kilda, 
who showed to the members present an easy 
way to demonstrate the difference between 
pure honey and the imitations now before 
them the constituents of which were chiefly 
starch sugar and dextrine or gum, by the 
simple admixture of alcohol to samples, 
which had been diluted with equal parts of 
water. After discussion it was agreed that 
the sale of spurious honey, contrary to the 
Health Act, he brought under the notice of 
the health officer by the President, and that 
he should also take steps to have this subject 
ventilated through the press. A vote of 
thanks was accorded to Mr. Field for his 
attendance and exhibit. The Acting Secre- 
tary gave notice that at next meeting he 
■would move that a subscription list be opened 
to collect a sum of money to assist in the 
purchase of an annuity for the Rev. L. L. 
Langstroth, to join in the scheme now being 
carried out in America. Mr. L. T. Chambers 
exhibited sectional hive with shallow frames 
and dummy board. Meeting closed at 10 
o’clock. 
S.A. BEEKEEPERS’ ASSOCIATION. 
The annual meeting of this Society was held 
at the Chamber of Manufactures, on Thursday, 
July 25, Dr. J. A. Cockburn, M.P., in the chair. 
The evening was a very wet one, and very' few 
attended. 
The President mentioned that several new 
Associations had been established during the 
past year; namely, at Mount Barker, Williams- 
town, Kersbrook, and Mount Pleasant. The 
new Societies would, doubtless, sustain cordial 
relations with the parent Society. He alluded 
to the loss sustained by the Society and by the 
colony generally in the death of its late Presi- 
dent, Sir E. D. Ross, whole place it would be 
impossible to fill up. The Foul Brood Act had 
been acknowledged, even by its opponents, to 
have been beneficial and conducive to the best 
interests of beekeeping. The annual report and 
balance-sheet was read. The report stated that 
important strides had been made during the 
past year in beekeeping, that every requisite in 
the industry is now manufactured in the colony, 
and that the business is large enough to main- 
tain at least two firms. Four new Beekeepers’ 
Associations have been established during the 
year — at Mount Barker, Williamstown, Mount 
Pleasant, and Kersbrook. Sixteen new members 
had joined during the year, and there had been 
a pamphlet issued upon “ Foul Brood and its 
cure.” The passing of the “Foul Brood Act” 
was alluded to with satisfaction. The disap- 
pointing nature of the last honey season was 
adverted to, and in reference to some serious 
losses through starvation it was “ to be regretted 
that those who suffered loss from that cause 
were not more alive to the necessity for a close 
inspection of the food supplies of their colonies 
in a bad season.’’ The extensive mischief 
wrought by the wax motli was noted, and 
attributed in a great measure to weakness in the 
colonies. ft was recommended tnat meetings 
be held quarterly instead of monthly, and that 
on these occasions full programmes be provided. 
In view of the success attending the issue of a 
previous pamphlet issued by the Association it 
